I tried. I saw the glowing reviews, I read the hyperbolic praise on these forums. I picked it up in a sale (leaving behind Ratchet and Clank 2 after much deliberation) and brought it home.

I tried to love it. Three separate weekends over the span of a few months were devoted toward forcing myself to become invested in it. Then I remembered games aren't supposed to be work and I think I've finally given up.

So please, faithful: explain what I was missing here. The graphics were very pleasing, but not revolutionary. The combat was deplorable, and the jumping was nice, but began to feel repetitive after only 17% completion.

I realize everyone has their own preferences. I'm not trying to flame here, I just usually can at least see what makes a game a classic when it's unanimously hailed as one. This one is beyond me. Anyone care to comment?

Well, you did let Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando (wrong move! Go back and get it!) go by the wayside, but both are excellent games in my opinion. Alejandro, I'm not sure if you've played the other Prince of Persia games, but that helped me a lot with the enjoyment of this game.

Back in my younger years (junior high for the original, senior high for Shadow and the Flame) I spent a lot of time playing the Prince of Persia games. I still believe Prince of Persia 2: The Shadow and the Flame is one of the best action/adventure games ever made in the early 90s.

What got me with Sands of Time was that it played a lot like ICO, one of my most favorite games of all time. The production values of Sands of Time was just through the roof and Jordan Mechner even had a hand in it (he was the creator of the games). I enjoyed the control, the story and the overall ambience of the game. Yes, the fighting got tedious, but they are supposedly fixing that for PoP2 coming later this year.

I just think it was a great game with a lot of magic, but a lot of my enjoyment comes from times past when I played the other games in the series. It was kind of like waiting for Ninja Gaiden on Xbox...it's an old friend that has taken a long time to come back to you.

Oddly, I knew I was making a mistake even as I did it. I miss Clank! But I told myself that it would be a Greatest Hit soon and I needed to see what the fuss on PoP was about before the sequel dropped. Bad move.

I never actually played any of the original games, so that may be a factor. But I also never really got into the Ninja Gaiden games on the NES and I'd cut my mother's throat before I give up the experience I had playing the new version of that. The problem may be that I played Ninja Gaiden before Prince of Persia. Tough act to follow. However, if PoP2 can give even roughly half that level of combat with the same atmosphere, I'll be all in. Or maybe I'll just get my friends to help me download the new Ninja Gaiden and save myself the disappointment.

Also, now you've made me nervous about ICO, which sits on my shelf waiting to be loved. Should I bother?

Also, now you've made me nervous about ICO, which sits on my shelf waiting to be loved. Should I bother?

Given that you hadn't played Prince of Persia way back when, I am also guessing you may not have played games like Out of this World, Flashback and Fade to Black...all by Delphine software for multiple platforms. In my review of ICO I wrote a long time ago on the site I talk specifically about how much ICO reminds me of those games.

The atmosphere is just top notch. Bascially you are a boy with horns and you are sent to be sacrificed as all horned boys are in this world. Except you escape and find a princess (who does not speak your language, but you know what she's saying via her mannerisms) who is trapped. You break her out and the rest of the game is spent solving puzzles, holding the princess' hand and getting her through the puzzles along with you.

Meanwhile you have shadows to defeat and a greater evil that doesn't want the princess to get out of the castle.

It's a game that just sucks you in. It is a short game, but it will probably take you a while to get out of every situation. I still go back to beat the game again because it is just that special of a game in my opinion. The graphics are great for the time it came out (2001) and the feelings behind two people that cannot communicate verbally is just awesome. The final fight is also very cool in the graphics category...just be sure that you don't turn off the game until after the credits have rolled, there's something special at the end.

The atmosphere is what did it for me. I love the fantasy of Perisa in "Arabian Nights," I love the culture of "Lawrence of Arabia," and I kick myself for missing "Hidalgo" in the theater. For me, "Prince of Persia" just swallowed me up in the glorious atmosphere I've been in for a long time. The music, the dust, the sand, the arcitecture, the great dialogue, the prince's arrogance gradually giving way to respect and devotion. This was some of the most entertaining gaming I've ever done, and I loved every second of it.

Games are supposed to be entertaining, there's no question of that. But we all tend to play titles that appeal to something we're interested in. I can't stand football, hence I never play any of the "Madden" series. Does that make them bad games? Nope, just something I'm not interested in. Personally, PoP was some of the best bang for the buck I've played on the consoles, and the thought of the sequel improving on everything later this year has me drooling.

If you didn't appreciate it, then don't sweat it. I loved it from the bottom of my heart and that's that. It's similar to "Star Wars: Rebellion." Some got it and loved it (like me), others got it and hated it. Each to their own.

Agreed. I guess the answer to my earlier question about what made this a classic was: superb, faithfully recreated atmosphere. Certainly there's a competent game underneath, but if you're not about the atmosphere you just won't be as into it. Great example with the Clone Madden series.

Now, anyone wanna trade me something juicy for the 2003 game of the year? Hardly used!

Atmosphere is a big part of Pop's appeal, but the gameplay itself can certainly stand up on its own two feet. Based on your comparisons to Ninja Gaiden and comments about combat, the gameplay elements that Prince of Persia empahsizes don't appeal to you that much. PoP is an action/adventure/platforming game with an emphasis on adventure and platforming. Ninja Gaiden is an action/adventure game with a strong emphasis on action. PoP's combat system wasn't nearly as deep as Ninja Gaiden's, but, because of the strength of the rest of its gameplay elements it didn't need to be. The combat in PoP is a break before encountering the next puzzle, which I think is the purpose it was designed to serve.

I think PoP is a much better game by far than Ninja Gaiden, but, then again, I think Ninja Gaiden would be improved with fewer action sequences and more jumping puzzles.

Ya know what, Mallon? I think I remember having this conversation with you on the other forums when I was just considering buying the game. Based on what you (and AgtFox) said, I think I had at the time decided to wait for a price drop. Ah well. I still agree with what both of you say, and wish I had trusted my own tastes more. Personally, I felt the jumping to sword ratio of Ninja Gaiden was utter perfection. Vive le difference!

I'm glad you all enjoyed it. Sincerely. Too many bad games out there to feel anything but happy when one comes along that rewards people with our hobby.

Ninja Gaiden could do with far less jumping puzzles, mainly because those are the spawn of SATAN!!!! :evil:

PoP simply pwns NG at every corner in my book, but I still enjoy it. I haven't played it in a while though, which means when I go back to it I'm probably going to have my ass handed to me time and again while I get back up to speed on the moves and such.

One of the things that kept me enjoying PoP was the high production value of the whole thing. It was so fun to watch the Prince fight and jump around his enemies I never really got bored, even though the strategy of it was repetitive.

The difficulty was just about right. If anything it leaned a bit a little towards the easy side, but that's OK since I don't handle frustration too well in games.

Quote

Also, now you've made me nervous about ICO, which sits on my shelf waiting to be loved. Should I bother?

I'd say ICO is pretty close to PoP in structure and gameplay, although I thought ICO had a better story. If I remember correctly, the puzzles in ICO were a little more difficult, but still not too bad.

If in doubt, go get R&C:GC. You won't regret it. I borrowed that from a friend, beat it and I played it again. Now that hardly ever happens to me with a game. Best platfom game ever.

Logged

"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities" -VoltaireXBL gamertag: NthPowr